Kenya and the United States have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the safe and secure use of nuclear technology.
The MoU will facilitate the exchange of expertise in policy, research, innovation, and regulation of nuclear applications in various sectors such as energy, health and agriculture.
The announcement was made in Nairobi on Tuesday following a meeting between senior officials of the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) and a delegation from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC).
KNRA board chairman Omondi Anyanga, Director General James Keter, and Corporation Secretary Beth Mushi met with USNRC Commissioner David Wright, who hinted that the MoU would be signed at the upcoming General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna next month.
Director General Keter highlighted the potential economic benefits of successfully implementing nuclear technology.
“We need support to strengthen our regulatory framework and ensure that our nuclear programme is developed responsibly and effectively,” he said.
Keter also discussed the development of 15 new regulations to support the Nuclear Regulatory Act of 2019 and stressed the need for assistance in guiding these regulations through public participation.
KNRA board chairman Anyanga expressed optimism about the Kenya-US MoU, saying: “We are confident that this MoU will bring significant benefits. We are ready and have so far made considerable progress and look forward to your continued support.”
The meeting by the regulators took place on the sidelines of the US-Africa Summit, which is being held in Kenya for the first time and has brought together policymakers, technical teams, and industry leaders.
During the summit, Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak, a Kenyan who’s the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Cooperation Division for Africa, delivered an opening address emphasizing the importance of technology transfer and Africa’s readiness to harness nuclear energy to meet its growing demands.
Prof Abdulrazak noted that Kenya and other African nations must act swiftly as the global deployment of nuclear energy and other low-carbon sources accelerates.
“There are many opportunities that Africa should be prepared to seize,” he said, referring to the historic inclusion of nuclear energy in the Global Stocktake established during COP28 in Dubai last year.
The forum highlighted that while renewable energy will remain crucial, it is also time to explore innovative technologies such as small modular reactors to enhance energy security and provide low-carbon energy.
Kenya, along with other developing countries, is considering nuclear energy to boost electricity supply. The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) has identified a site along the coastal belt for Kenya’s first nuclear power plant projected to be up and running by 2035.
The US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit, which concludes on Friday, is the first Pan-African event organized by the US focused on the future of nuclear power on the continent.
The forum will be addressed by among others Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
